KENYA 2

August 12^th to 22^nd

The day arrived and that we have waited for since we left South Africa. Heather and Nick’s visit to Kenya. True to Kenya form, both the traffic and the road condition were horrendous. Our trip to the airport of 20km took us nearly two hours. So instead of getting to the airport, having a drink and really getting excited, we very nearly were not there to greet them off the plane.

Their first impressions of Kenya were traffic and potholed roads. Anyway Heather and I just chatted and chatted for the duration of the trip to Jungle Junction where we were camping and had booked a room for them. They both agreed for us to get away the next morning for Mombassa by 4.30am, as it was the same road which we had come from the airport and they had, had the experience of the traffic.

Down to Mombasa is about 500km and the first 100km are bad roads, roadworks and crazy drivers. Well even with the road improving it still was an 8 hour drive. Reaching Mombasa, the roads, the crazy drivers and the traffic was not much of an improvement on Nairobi.Included in our drive we had to cross over Mombasa (Mombasa itself is an island) and also over the channel on a ferry as we were going to stay on the South Coast. There are 2 bridges connecting it to the mainland and the North Coast, but the ferry is the only way over to the South Coast.

Through, Thomas, who we had met at Jungle Junction, we were able to rent a really nice guest cottage close to Diani Beach. After settling in we went to the beach, a beach of fine, pure white, talcum like sand.

Soon after Heather and Nick took a long stroll down the beach and were actually really perplexed as to find many of the resorts on this beautiful beach closed. We soon found out, that after the political problems last year, many of the resorts closed due to lack of tourists and still today they have not reopened. It actually just boggles the mind, one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen and all these resorts directly on the beach closed. The beach is almost on a lagoon with the reef in the ocean a little way out. We had quite a bit of wind and the tide was quite far in, but I am sure when the tide is out you could quite easily get out to the reef. We wanted to take a glass bottom boat out to the reef but unfortunately the day we planned it, it was so windy that it would not have been pleasant. The water most of the time was a beautiful sea green, turquoise colour.

Although it was Heather and Nick’s 5^th wedding anniversary, they opted to go back to our cottage, have a swim in a really beautiful warm pool, and sit and chat over pizza’s.

The next day, we chose to cross the Ferry again, and visit Mombasa’s old town and Fort Jesus. It probably was not the right day to do it, as the president chose the day to visit the south coast. Our trip was interrupted by quite a long wait in a side alley for the president and hundreds of police, armed with AK47’s to first proceed.

Fort Jesus was built by the Portuguese in 1593 but taken over by the Arabs in the 1700’s and then the British in 1805 when it was then used as a government prison until 1958. It was quite and interesting tour and for Wolf and I there certainly were similarities of the old town to what we had seen in Zanzibar. But definitely not as well preserved. As we knew the weather was going to turn on the weekend we went back to the beach to make sure we got a bit of sun. Had a real long walk along the super beach and Nick and I went for a swim. Except for the “beach boys” pestering you to buy from the beach stores or sell you a boat cruise it was really super.

Saturday took us again over the ferry to try the North Coast out. Again to cross the city is quite a challenge. We drove up as far as Malindi which is a town which could date back to 1499. (The pillars of Vasco da Gama and an Old Portuguese chapel) Most of the rest of the city seems to date only from the 19^th Century

We did however find a market on the beach to idle a bit time away. Due to a lot of Italian tourists, there is a definite feel of this in the restaurants and ice cream cafes.

The beach and the sea quite pretty but nothing like the south.

South of Malindi is the Gedi Ruins. The mysterious Swahili city, founded in the 13th century, was abandoned 300 years later. No one is quite sure why the inhabitants had to flee, but that and the time that it remained abandoned is still only a guess. It has quite an eerie feeling.

The site is quite well preserved in a forest, of baobabs and tamarind trees towering above the ruins and strangler figs climbing over the walls. The bark of the trees and the stones are the same grey colour and texture lending an organic aspect to the whole city. The streets are narrow and there’s evidence of “sophisticated” plumbing that made use of the tide. The main attraction is the great mosque with its deep well, fluted pillars, thick walls and a large minbar (pulpit) indicating the direction of Mecca.

There is the sultan’s palace with its sunken courtrooms and the remains of the double city walls.

Archaeological evidence indicates the inhabitants left in a hurry. A small museum shows the extent of trade and the complexity of urban life here. There is Ming porcelain, ornate furniture, tombstones, beads from all corners of the ocean and silver jewellery. There is also a model of a mtepe (dhow). Before the time of nails, planks were sewn together with thongs or coconut ropes.

Unfortunately the coast line is not really visible from the road, and we did not have time to go down all the roads to really get a good view. We just ran out of time and never really managed to see everything we had planned.

Sunday came with us all going to church, what an (long) experience, they have continual processions with children, Catholic Women League Ladies, and other members of the church, up and down the isle singing and chanting. A young Italian Couple were also married during the service. Well our men certainly don’t think they have to go to church for the next two Sundays, to make up for the time they spent there. Of coarse it was all in Swahili so a lot you don’t even understand. But all in all it was a super experience for us all. Sunday was again spent walking along the beach, lunch on the beach and a bit of shopping (and haggling) for gifts. We had a super fish braai that evening with Thomas.

Monday we left again quite early for our trip back to Nairobi.

Tuesday, we were collected for our “Safari” to Nakuru National Park and Massai Mara.

Our four days and three nights, were absolutely indescribable. We all concurred at the end that no amount of photos or words can actually cover the sight of lines and lines of Wildebeest and Zebras as far as the eye can see. We were treated to at least two sightings of lion each day, one on a kill, (very recent) three sightings of Cheetah, one with three cubs. We watched the Zebras trying very had to cross the Mara River, but they were very wary and knew the crocodiles were waiting. The river is still very shallow due to no rain so hippos and crocs are quite visible.

Lake Nakuru was a spectacle of thousands upon thousands of Flamingoes, (both greater and lesser )

Pelicans and other water birds in great quantities. The Marabou Storks were in their element, with as much food as they could eat. (Dead flamingos on the Menu)

We were lucky to have had wonderful accommodation in both parks. It really was very special to come home in the evening, to all the luxury you could need. The meals and lunch hampers could not be faulted at all. All been wonderfully prepared and presented.

The resort at Massai Mara, was a tented camp and after this Heather was quite sure she could take to camping, if this is what it was about. About 60 sq mts for the bedroom section and about another half of that for a bathroom. The tent walls were curtained with tie-backs and wonderful matching bedding. Our guide and driver, John was absolutely fantastic, he went out of his way to find whatever we wanted to see. On the last morning, knowing I wanted to see hyena and as most of our drives were during the day, and we had not seen them, he managed to find us two.

The night calls from Lion, Hyena and especially Zebra was absolutely amazing.

For all our friends who have not had the chance to experience this, do yourself a favour and put it on your “list to do”

We were very lucky to have the migration start early as they should not have crossed into Kenya before beginning September.

Other Mammals seen in great numbers, Dewassa Water Buck, Warthog, Loads of Buffalo. Grants and Thompson’s Gazelle, both White and Black Rhino, (most in Nakuru) Kenya Giraffe, Black Backed Jackal, Super Elephant (very relaxed) Topi, Eland, Dik Dik, and Kongoni Hartebeest.

As there was so much to see, not much time was spent on bird life but we still managed to identify about 25 bird species, but nothing we had not seen before in Uganda and Kenya.

Well Friday came too soon and back to Nairobi we went. We had a “barbeque” at the camp site with most of the campers coming and lots of talk and laughter by all.

Saturday took us to the airport for Heather and Nick’s flight back to SA. (Of coarse needless to say, a very tearful Mum) I can’t believe 10 days went so quickly.

Back at the camp we packed up and left for our trip up North. We stopped at a super “Trout Farm” just before Nanukki. The restaurant is built on a platform in the trees and we were treated to a lovely lunch of Fresh Trout and of coarse “Tusker Beer” The norm for your afternoon drink. I cannot believe I have quite taken to the taste of Local Beer. But then at a minimum of R20 for box wine and up to about R45 for a glass of wine out of a bottle it is quite easy to acquire a taste for beer.

Crossed over the equator again, this time doing the exercise of the “Coriolis” effect on the earth’s rotation using a bucket of water and a matchstick. In the northern hemisphere water should go through the plughole anticlockwise, whereas in the southern it flows clockwise. Of course you have the “Equator Professor” doing the demo from about 15mts each way to demonstrate it. Wolf was not so sure it was all “kosher” but it was good fun anyway and it did seem to work.

We overnighted at quite a nice Timau River Lodge, ready for the worst road in Kenya. We have about 550km to the Ethiopian border, but have given ourselves three days to do it.

Just as well, 7 hours later with still 50km of the first half of the journey, the spring broke (again) on the trailer. The wind blowing, trucks passing us, Wolf managed to change the broken spring with the previous one which had been welded and we have saved. This took two hours, and we still had another 50km which took another two hours, arriving in Marsibit at 9pm, it was after 10pm before we managed to find the only place recommended to stay, Henry’s Camp. It was after midnight before we got to bed, exhausted and for me worried about the next 250km the border with no spare spring. This one broke directly in the middle so no hope of welding this one. We have decided to stay over an extra night at Henry’s so that we can try and see what we can do for a spare spring or a tow service if something happens tomorrow.

I am going to finish off Kenya now and we will post the blog today.

This is like a TV serial, stopping and you all have to wait for the next episode to find out if we manage to get to the border!!!!!!!

This will follow in the Ethiopian Section

Gorillas Collage

KENYA

KENYA

27^th July to 12^th August, 2009

Left Uganda via Jinta, having a quick look at “the source of the Nile” at Rippon Falls, and went through the Malaba Border.

It seems as you go north so the borders get easier. With our Comesa (Third Party for Africa) and our Carnet de Passage (import car papers for each country) border crossings are really not a problem.

We crossed over and headed on the Nairobi road, stopping the night over at Eldoret.

We found a very nice hotel on the Naiberu River, apparently owned by South Africans,(we did not get to see them) A lot of inventive ideas for the sloping ground, using the waterways and lots of rock to form almost a large cave with open fireplace, running little rivers from a waterfall, for their bar and restaurant. It was rather cold and really our first feel of what weather is to come. It is a long time ago that we needed long pants/tracksuits and thick jerseys.

After and early breakfast left for Nairobi, soon to learn what bad roads Kenya has got and a distance of about 65km and this took us over two hours. Well I suppose we have time and this is “Africa” I must admit the scenery was wonderful because we were passing through the start of the rift valley. (more of this later) After about two hours we reached quite a good “highway” which took us into Nairobi passing Nakuru (going there with Heather) and Lakes Elementia and Naiwasha. Our idea is to go straight through to Nairobi even if it meant us doubling back on our route so we could get our trip with Heather and Nick planned and sorted. This is going to be one of the highlights of our trip and I am counting the days and “sleeps” till they arrive.

We found a quite nice camp site (especially for being in a city) on the outskirts of Nairobi, at Lavington called Jungle Junction. A camper’s paradise for Information and exchanging experiences maps and places to stay. It is like a family of campers, sometimes changing daily and some campers spending up to 3 weeks, repairing your vehicle, doing trips to Maasai Mara and other places, and generally recovering from the dreadful roads especially from the North. Most of the people we met have been English, Dutch, German, Swiss, coming from Europe travelling down South. The road from the Ethiopia Border down to Nairobi is apparently the worst of anyone’s trip. We still have to do it. On the Friday Nite the owners organized a “barbeque” (braai) for the campsite and everyone on site came, it was really a super evening, with everyone exchanging ideas and sharing experiences of their travels.

After spending two days checking internet and travel agents, for our trip with Heather and Nick we decided on 5 days, four nights in Mombassa which we will do in our own car and then three nights in the Maasai Mara with a night over in Lake Nakuru (where the flamingos are) and which is on the way to Maasai Mara. This we are doing with a tour company, (first time for us that we do a safari with all the trimmings) We decided not to put Heather through the camping bit in case she decided never to do another trip with us. More of this after they arrive.

The weather in Nairobi is for the birds, and we are not birds and will be doing enough of that in Europe, so we headed north west to Lake Baringo (only 1000mts altitude) and what a lovely change. Had costumes on from early morning until later afternoon, catching up on the tan and watching birds. We had a fantastic site right on the lake with the Bird Life absolutely stunning. We had a “Family Maier” Bird ground, (Family Maier’s would be quite envious of our birds which visited everyday)

At least three bird species we had not seen before and about 40 species all in all. We were treated to the daily feeding of young hornbills being fed in a nest in a tree right in front of our camp site.

Strange as it was, we had a Grey Hornbill and a Pale Billed Hornbill (white beak with red tip) also feeding the same nest.

The ones we had not seen before or a bit rare were Jackson’s Hornbill, Red and Yellow Barbet, Dusky Pink Turtle Dove, Brown Babbler, Speckled Breasted Wood-Pecker and the Madagascar (Olive) Beeater

We then spent a few nights had Lake Naivasha, visiting Lake Elmenteita from here. Lake Elmenteita is a soda lake and only about 1 and half meters deep at its deepest point. Thousands upon thousands of flamingo live in this lake and also in Lake Bogoria and Lake Nakuru. All these lakes are in the Great Rift Valley. The sightings of the Flamingos are just too beautiful, all you see is a pink shimmer on the water.

From our info, when these female flamingos are about 18months old, she goes to Lake Natron to lay a single egg which she leaves in the sand, for the sun to incubate. 28 days later the chick hatches and feeds on the egg yolk for 7 days before going into the Lake to feed on algae for 3 months before migrating to either Elmenteita, Nakuru or Bogoria to start the whole cycle again. The Marabou storks and African Fish eagles can and do feed on flamingos.

Driving from Lake Baringo to Lake Elmenteita and the surrounding areas you drive through Keyna’s Rift Valley which is only a part of a continental fault system that runs 6000km from Jordan clean across Africa to Mozambique.

It is also the area of where most of Kenya’s flowers are grown and exported to all parts of Europe.

One of the lakes, Lake Magadi, is a vast shallow pool of soda, a sludge of alkaline water and crystal trona deposits,. It is the second largest source of soda in the world, after the Salton Sea in the USA. Some of the sodium chloride (common salt) is shovelled into ridges and loaded onto tractors and taken away to be purified for human and animal consumptions. Mainly the soda from this lake is used for glass-making and is Kenya’s most valuable mineral resource. The dried soda is exported first to Mombassa and Konza and then most of it to Japan.

Back to cold Nairobi for a few days, before going to Mombassa and Massai Mara with Heather and Nick.